Wings Symbolise Freedom
by Rethira
Summary: Wings symbolise freedom for those who have none. - Cissnei, Crisis Core
1. Cissnei

This is just a little drabble series about wings and freedom. The title is taken from Cissnei's quote '_Wings symbolise freedom for those who have none_.' And seeing as three characters gain wings I just decided to write little drabbles to the effect of how everyone learnt about wings and freedom.

Warning: Spoilers for Crisis Core (do I even have to put this here anymore?)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Final Fantasy VII compilation - although I would like to, very much.

* * *

When Cissnei had let Zack go, she knew that this would be the beginning of the end. That after this, nothing would be the same. But she let him go anyway, sure that if she handed him and little blond boy back to Hojo then things would only be worse. Even Tseng felt regret for what he had done and, Cissnei knew, Tseng didn't regret often. She thought back to the days, months, years ago when she'd first seen Zack, a hyperactive SOLDIER, now... Now he was mature. Responsibility had settled on his shoulders like a mantle and it was changing him.

Cissnei kind of mourned the loss of the hyperactive Zack.

A few weeks later, Cissnei was told that Zack had been killed by Hojo's men and that the blond had been left for dead.

She hoped that wherever he was, he had wings.

* * *

And that was Cissnei - she got to go first seeing as it was her quote.


	2. Sephiroth

It's Sephiroth's turn.

Warning: Spoilers for Crisis Core.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Final Fantasy VII compilation and make no money from anything I write.

* * *

Sephiroth stared after Genesis, wondering what had happened to his friend. Wondering how Genesis could have changed so much and could be filled with so much _hate_. He had never been so full of it before, even when he was young and pained because of everyone he knew; only one of them actually loved him. Sephiroth's heart jerked in his chest, reminding him that he loved Genesis now.

He missed Genesis more than mere words could express.

And when he watched Genesis fly away, single wing beating strongly, Sephiroth wished he could be more like Genesis and share the freedom of flight.

* * *

Yes, it's short but it's meant to be. It is only a drabble anyway.


	3. Tseng

The warnings are the same as before

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII and nothing I write makes me any money whatsoever.

* * *

Tseng had never been particularly pleased with his lot in life. He was trapped in a job he excelled at, but that required a distancing of self and emotion. He had seen things that would send lesser men mad and had done things that would haunt his dreams at night. He had sent young men and women to their deaths – had sent them to kill others. He had been so tightly involved in the darkness of ShinRa that he could barely see the light.

That pained him immensely.

So when he saw the wings adorning Genesis and Angeal, it was no surprise that he wished to be free.

* * *

I don't have anything interesting to say here, so off you go.


	4. Genesis

And here's some more _Wings._

Warning: If you squint you can see some Angeal/Genesis. Sort of. Also, kind of spoilers, although who doesn't know that Genesis has a wing anymore?

Disclaimer: I do not own the Final Fantasy VII compilation.

* * *

When Genesis had first seen the wing, the wrong and disgusting protrusion from his back, he had been so horrified he had tried to tear the thing off. It was so horrible – black as night and wrong, wrong, wrong. The word swirled in his head, rattling around in there. It was as his mother had always said; he was an abomination. He was something wrong, something horrifically wrong and he should be wiped off the planet. After all he thought he was even tainting his Goddess with his very presence. He was a mockery of angels, what with his single black wing.

He had all but reached for his Rapier and hacked the thing off his back right then.

Yet when he had seen Angeal's two pristine white wings, felt the smaller one twitch and flutter beneath his fingers, he had wanted nothing more than to feel another wing ease from his back so he could be, at long last, free.

* * *

I hope you liked it.


	5. Cloud

Okay, I just so everyone knows (assuming that you read this), I made up the bit about Cloud's dad. This is because we never find out what happened to Cloud's dad. Anyway, longest drabble yet.

Warning: spoilers, slight divergence from canon.

Disclaimer: I do not own the compilation of Final Fantasy VII.

* * *

Cloud had always hated wings. At first it had been because he connected them to dragons and his father had been killed by one. Then it had been because he was always called a little angel, like it was the worst insult in the world and then the bullies in his town would catch one of the tiny little birds and break its wings while he watched helplessly. And then that had changed until everywhere he went the children in his town would show him torn off wings and brag about how the birds had screamed as they'd been killed. After that there had been Zack's infiltrating memories, showing him how Angeal had died and he had hated wings because it seemed all wings could do was cause pain.

He'd been fine with that attitude.

But then Aerith had sent him dreams and he had seen Zack and Angeal and Sephiroth, all with wings and they had been happy, despite being dead. The next day he had seen one of those tiny birds whose wings were so very delicate and it had been free and happy and he realised that wings could be freedom and happiness, instead of pain.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed it.


	6. Zack

And in a radical change from last chapter, here's the shortest drabble yet.

Warning: well, spoilers and I was kind of upset when I wrote this (cause I watched the Crisis Core ending -sobs-)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Final Fantasy VII compilation.

* * *

Zack lay in the mud and the blood and listened to his faltering breathing. He heard movement and when Cloud came in to sight he told him a brief few words and then-

Then he died. And when he opened his eyes Angeal was flying down towards him and his heart leapt in his chest and he said the words he had been aching to say since he had first seen his wings. _I want them too._

And Zack knew, with a certainty that came from nowhere, that dying wasn't scary. It was like flying – it was freedom.

* * *

-sobs-


	7. Angeal

Uh, yeah I totally meant to update this earlier. Welp, here's the first of the last three.

Warning: Spoilers

Disclaimer: I do not own the compilation of Final Fantasy VII. I make no money from writing this.

* * *

Angeal had been like Genesis at first, hating his wings even as Genesis loved them, even as Zack talked about angels. He cursed whoever had named him Angeal – it was too similar to 'angel' and he hated it because his wings weren't nice, they weren't angelic, they were things that showed him to be the monster he was.

He had died thinking that.

But then Zack had joined him and he had loved his wings and talked about freedom and liberty and had made him see that having wings was not a sign of monstrosity – it was a sign of freedom.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed it.


	8. Lazard

Okay, so Lazard was pretty weird to write about, but I think I did okay.

Warning: Spoilers for CC

Disclaimer: I do not own the compilation of Final Fanatsy VII.

* * *

Lazard had developed a simplistic view to his wing in that it was a new appendage and he had to deal with it. When his face had changed too, he had simply gone with it. There wasn't much he could do about it after all. It just was. He had come to accept the new things as they came, even accepting that he was dying, just as Genesis was – from degradation.

Zack had been a bonus, because Zack brought life to everything.

It had been nice while it lasted. And he finally saw that having a wing was something to be happy about, at least when seen through Zack's wondering eyes. And he stroked the drooping plumage and wondered why he had never realised how free he had become.

* * *

And this will be the second last from _Wings._


	9. Aerith

This kind of hurt to write. I hope you all like it.

Warning: Should I even need to say this anymore? -sigh- Spoilers.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or Crisis Core.

* * *

Aerith hardly ever saw birds. And she feared the sky. She feared the great bright blue, so unlike the darkness she was used to. The idea of flight, up in that brightness and light scared her, more than it should have. But when she felt-saw-heard Angeal, Zack's Angeal, enter the Lifestream and she saw his wings in her mind's eye, she thought she saw something wonderful.

Then Zack died and she heard a whisper in her mind of freedom.

And Zack flew, free and far and beautiful, pale wings envisaged on his back, Angeal's hand clasping his and she longed for that freedom.

* * *

And we have reached the end. I think it's fitting in a way to end with Aerith. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this mini series.

_Rethira_


End file.
